travelers
by gizzmo
Summary: AU. Willow is lost; with the help of her trusty companion, C.J she travels through the ultimate dimensions. but where is her home? i really suck at summerys.
1. Chapter 1

_Ok someone must have spiked my drink. Though to think about it, I have perfected my impression of a hermit so no spiking there_. _Willow Rosenburg shook her head groaning as she sat up, shielding her eyes from the blinding sun she continued to ponder. "I guess I'm not in Kansas anymore…" as much as she strained Willow found that she could not recall anything past the epic tunnel: she had been lead in the middle of a dirt road that was encircled by large mushroom like rocks of vivid colours the air was still and stagnant. Sighing she steeled herself against the sinking feeling in her stomach. What the hell is happening to me? Where am I? Moreover, how am I going to get back up that cliff? And what the hell was following me?_

_Maybe this is just some weird cheese induced dream._


	2. doorways

Willow sat contemplating her predicament for a long time she couldn't remember what had happened to her. Sighing she shakily stood. She took in the sheer cliff face before trying, in desperation, to climb back up; there were no handholds. By the time she gave up her fruitless scrabbling Willow was covered in a slick coating of perspiration.

Panting she slumped with her back grazing the ragged edge; ripping the back of her white cotton t-shirt. _'Great, that was my favorite.'_ Groaning, Willow looked around taking in her surroundings; she was sat on the roof of what looked like a large complex of buildings which opened out on to a courtyard, there were two obvious gateways in and out of the area. The one farthest away was of solid wood deep in a rich hue. The other looked to Willow more like a portcullis though it was somewhat more ornate than the ones she had seen on castles.

Movement and sound caught the young woman's attention; she shimmied closer to the edge of the roof to get a better view of the commotion below. However, as Willow reached the edge all movement had stopped. The floor was eerily quiet vacant of all life, even the air was still. The silence became oppressive after a few minutes Willow noticed that the statues dotted about the courtyard all seemed to be staring at her. _'nothing in life is more creepy than those things… well apart from dolls…'_ quickly turning her gaze from the ominous sculptures she quibbled with herself about how exactly she was going to get back to her nice warm bed, to hide underneath the covers like she always did when her life got to scary .

'_Well I can't go up; I guess I must um go down with those… things. Goody!_' Peering gingerly over the edge of the ledge she looked for a way down. A metallic clanking startled her out of her deep contemplation. Willow glanced nervously around, looking for the source of the sound.

The noise had originated from two large gates as they opened, revealing luscious green fields Willow watched in fascination as the long grasses swayed in a wind that she herself could not feel. As she sat enchanted by this simple beauty, she did not notice the sky, which had now filled with passing birds or the soft vibrations underfoot. Her moment of piece was broken when the bright light dimmed and the ground shook causing the weathered cliff to crumble pelting Willow with debris.

She looked skywards her mouth fell open. Thick purple thick clouds chased the last of the birds away. The rumbling had continued to grow as she gazed at the peculiar site; the sound had gone from a distant rumble to almost deafening. Pulling her eyes back down to the ground Willow watched the fallen stones on the ledge jump around to the vibrations of the ground thunder. As the stones continued to dance a rush of cool air stole Willow's breath, spinning round she let her gaze fall upon the stampede of what looked similar to deer.

Thousands of them all rushing through the thick wooden gated opening, running through the courtyard and existing through thru now raised portcullis; there was no apparent end to the stream. Willow watched in awe as the proud bucks and does flowed as though all were one creature each movement as if choreographed by a greater mind than it was possible to possess on their own. The animals pooled in the courtyard and then tapered back into compact as they funneled out of the area. Willow was mortified when she realised that the statues had come to life and had begun to charge after the stampede. _'Oh goddess'_

The speedy procession ended as suddenly as it had begun there were no stragglers as the gateways grumbled and groaned to a closed position once again. Willow's legs had gone numb as she knelt straining to get the best view of the unannounced procession of majestic beasts. 'I_ really, really need to get down from here. But um I'm not really sure I want to…' _Willow hadn't really made much headway in the way of planning her escape from her lofty perch, though if that was going to faze Willow Fletcher then she wasn't the girl she had claimed to be. _'Ok buckle up this is going to be a fun ride.' _Willow smirked at the internal pep talk,_ 'yer right, I'm a cowered really…'_ as she turned her back to the ledge and slipped off roughly catching herself with her forearms keeping her body from the certain drop to the probably very firm ground she her body swayed as she wiggled down grasping the carved ledge with her hands. With a deep breath, she mustered the courage to let go. _'One .two. three.'_ on three she let go. The ground rushed towards her feet, Willow breathed out on impact bending her knees and rolling backwards into the centre of the courtyard._ 'ow, that was one of my better ideas''_

With a deep groan doing an internal check on her physical situation; thankfully nothing was broken or sprained '_thank goddess'_ for a time Willow just lay there trying to plan her next step. Deciding that her best approach would be looking around for an easier way up the cliff face. Willow bulled herself into moving. With a resigned sigh she peeled open her eyes finally taking in the area as she sat up slowly; the floor was dusty and worn but through the grime she could see that it was entirely made from black and white tiles which formed a series of interconnected diamonds. '_That's really kinda pretty' _she mussed to herself as her eyes continued to wonder over the surrounding area; freezing when they hit something '_well my freaky meters dial is just so very, very broken right now oh goddess what the hell are those things?'_ The strange moving statues were accompanied with a soft grating; like that of terracotta tiles, as they moved.

There seemed to be two different types of tiled mosaic figures one type which reminded her of mosaic horses had affixed to their backs small doll like creatures who's heads turned to look at Willow, if Willow was standing these creatures would be the same height. '_Dolls, no, no not dolls anything but that.' _Stumbling to her feet Willow backed away from whatever these things were, as a blood-curdling growl came from the dolls. Keeping her back to the cliff, she edged her way away from the still dog things, almost bumping into the other type of terracotta figures. Blood hounds which had mosaic frog jockeys riding upon their steeds; these beings were at least twice the height of Willow. The frogs turned their hounds staring with unblinking hollows. _'Stay calm Willowy…back away real slow… oh goddess those things are terrifying'. _Watching as their hound horses gathered around the stranger; sniffing at her, pushing her about with their snouts.

Willow scrambled away from the inquisitive beasts, terror blinding her she dropped to her hands and knees, shimmying between the slender multi -coloured legs. Once free from inquires she shakily rose to her feet and bolted no longer caring about finding a way back up the cliff.

Growls and croaks of indignation followed Willow's swiftly exit, quickly flowed by grinding and crunching '_crap are they following me?'_ a quick glance over her shoulder as she ran _'oh shit they are'_ her speed increased as Willow rounded the corner_ 'hold on, cliffs don't have corners, do they?' _Glancing to her left she sighted open doors and windows cut out of the cliff.

The high walls that surrounded the courtyard lowered once Willow had turned the corner the clouds were amassing. Willow paid no heed to this; she was preoccupied with escaping from the mosaic fiends. The tiles underfoot merged into roughly kept grass, Willow continued to try to put distance between herself and her pursuers. She continued across the lawn, windows flashed past in a blur as adrenalin coursed through Willow's veins; legs and arms pumping in an attempt to propel herself forward with even more speed. Gasping, trying to draw more air into her burning lungs, she reached a small wooden fence.

The air was crackling the sky had turned a deeper shade of purple. A loud cracking sound echoed through the landscape; out of the corner of her eye Willow watched the frog riders turn their heads in an owl like fashion towards the source. If it was possible for them to feel scared then they hid the emotion well; there stony faces unchanging as they turned their steeds and galloped off back the way they had come.

Felling unease Willow let her eyes follow the same line of sight as the frog things.

The cloying wind tugged at Willow's raged clothes, swaying the grass; as the smoke continued to thicken the hounds horse's whinnied. In a grating way the pursuit stopped, the horses had stilled, their frogy masters could be seen disappearing round the corner. A light flashed closely followed by a deafening crack. Willow whipped her head round eyes staring at the light.

An interweaved column of blue had descended from the fog, burying itself in the earth. '_What the…'_ Willow's thoughts were disrupted as another column shot down towards the ground; much closer to her this time, the air around crackled and hummed, Willow's hairs stood on end as goose bumps formed over her arms. The air cracked again, her ears ringing as the noise continued echoing through her head as well as the rest of the area. Blinking the tears of pain away, Willow swung her head round looking for the zone of impact. To her horror the column was all but directly behind her, it had hit one of the mosaic horses. The poor creature lay smouldering on the grass she could see a semi-circle of deep blackened cracks running away from where the blue light had hit through its multi-coloured tesserae. _ 'What the hell is it?'_

Seeing their fallen colleague was enough to make the rest of the horses to follow their masters, fleeing from the light, which rained down. _'I think it's time to go inside. I really don't want to find out what that'll do to me. Cooked Willow anyone?' _

Willow jumped awkwardly from where she had been perched back to the ground, cursing as she felt her ankle give way underneath her weight; she stumbled to her knees once again. The pain brought more tears to her eyes dashing them away angrily, even as she was once again stumbling to her feet; in a mad dash, she limped towards salvation.

Even more columns of death pounded down all around obliterating all that got in its way._ 'I need to get inside. Now!'_

Glancing towards the wall; her means of escape. Willow gasped, her blood ran cold as panic threatened to overwhelm her; the doors and windows were closing. Veering to the closest opening; a window, Willow lunged at it in desperation just as it slammed shut, she tried to pry the shutter open, to no avail Over the cracking and her laboured breaths she could hear the steady clamping down of shutters and doors. "Oh goddess" she muttered pushing herself away from the impenetrable shutters_ 'I'm going to die here…'_ she renewed her staggered stride racing against a bodiless enemy.

The shutters drew closed as she passed each opening. Resisting the temptation to dive for one that would be closed before she had got there she continued skidding around the corner and sprinting forwards, her arm brushing the smooth edge of the wall as she ran forwards missing a rapidly closing entrance diving into the next; a set of French windows.

Willow just stood in the doorway her arms spread wide holding the doors at bay. She forced air down into her lungs; whilst thanking any one that was listening, her back still to the dimly lit room. She paused briefly to watch more of the strange columns beating down on the tiled courtyard. "Well that explains the dust," she mumbled to herself once she had found the ability to breath.

Willow wondered what this place was as she turned into the room, she moved farther into the room. The room was sparsely furnished; a solid wooden desk adorned with detailed carvings, sat squat against one of the walls. Tucked underneath it was a sturdy looking chair and in the far corner was placed single bed with a thick woollen blanket draped over top.

Scuffing her pink converses on the threadbare rug she continued into the room towards one of the two other doorways; ignoring the creaking of the French doors closing. Willow had all but crossed the room when she felt another's presence.

Spinning round Willow regarded a silent figure, leaning on the doorframe; clad in sturdy black leather boots, loose fitting blue/black combat trousers held up by an array of different belts two of which hung loosely on his hips all were covered in studs and small loops much like a tool belt. He wore on his torso a baggy shirt coupled with an undone, timeworn waistcoat. Loosely covering his arms and back down to his upper thighs was a shabby black leather jacket. Willow could see another brown leather belt about an inch thick strapped across his chest. Willow's eyes continued to travel up his body noting a chunky chain around his thick neck. Willow realized that he had somewhat feminine face; though his expression was stony, Willow could see a mischievous twinkle in his cobalt blue eyes. _'Is this the shadow that was stalking me earlier?' _

"Why are you stalking me?" Never one to skim round the point. The young man took his trilby into his hands ringing it.

"I am not stalking you… in fact, I'm following you" he curtly corrected Willow as he looked her directly in the eye.

Exasperated Willow argued the point "what is the difference"

"Not really sure. But, I know there's one" he said lips quirking into a small smile; it seemed like he was mocking her.

Willow's patience was wearing rather thin. "Sure, whatever, why were you following me? Willow crossed her arms over her chest trying to look intermediating. She watched smugly as his face dropped at her aggressive body language.

With a shrug of his shoulders he looked away from Willow. "Ya' looked lost."

"Oh" '_is it that obvious? What harm could come from telling the truth? A lot but hey…'_ letting her arms fall back to her sides she continued "that's probably because I am" as this left her lips she spotted his half smile re-emerge.

Willow continued to stare at the man as he continued fiddling with his trilby's rim. "Where ya' heading?" this threw Willow for a moment, the question seemed out of the blue, especially as she had no idea.

"Um…" she stopped contemplating his question '_where am I going… I guess, I want to get back home'_ "home" Willow said with forced confidence.

A rueful smile crossed his lips "at least you know." He paused ringing his battered hat "don't know where I'm going… or where I've been" he straightened out the trilby the rueful expression remained "I just don't know yet."

'_What the…'_ "ehhh … how … do … um you not know where you've been yet?" her confusion evident in her expression. Intrigued she stepped closer to the remarkably peculiar man.

He looked at her as if she had just said the most stupid thing in the world "I haven't done it yet" it was Willow's turn to return the disbelieving look. '_He's crazy; I'm trapped in a room alone with a lunatic! Ok Willowy just keep him talking…'_

"Isn't that just the future?"

A smirk covered his face as his brows furrowed "not really," he paused for a few seconds, brows still furrowed "times not exactly strait or set, things can change..." he grunted and nodded his head "in fact it already has." Willow was just as, if not even more confused and concerned as she was before his explanation.

The strange man seemed to read Willow's confused expression; continuing his explanation "well a while before you weren't here"

His point didn't seem to make any sense at all "that's happened already."

"No its not it's yet to come." he spoke as if it was a clear fact.

'_I wonder where he parked the loony machine.' _ "Sure," the blue column hit again just outside the door reminding Willow of her predicament. "What the hell is that?" she gasped.

"Twilghting"

"What?" he nodded in the direction blue. "You're making this up aren't you?

"No, I'm not. Twilight is the blue light stuff… it can last for months, if not years." He replied indigently.

'_Oh goddess if he's right then I'm stuck here… with him.'_ Willow ruffled her short fringe in frustration. The silence between them was thick with tension. Willow moved over to the bed and unceremoniously slumped onto the corner, letting out a small sigh. The man followed her into the room, his stride was powerful yet strangely elegant; he walked silently towards the same door that Willow was looking at a few moments before. As he reached for the door handle, he spoke. "Are you coming?"

Willow twisted her head around looking at his still turned back. "Where?"

"With me" shoving his trilby firmly on to his head, he turned to face Willow "you can't ever get home if you don't go anywhere"

Hearing this Willow span to face her companion "what the hell?"

"Well you're not from around here; that much is evident" he paused giving Willow a knowing look "you seem somewhat, stuck" as Willow debated if she could trust this decidedly strange man to lead her home and more importantly not to kill her. He stood stock-still; hand still poised to open the door his face took on a distant look. Letting out a long sigh she lifted herself up off the bed and crossed the room towards the blond haired gye; her decision made. As she approached, he lost the faraway look in his eyes, with a curt nod he yanked the door open and started a purposeful stride through the twisting corridors that lay beyond.

Willow had to all but jog to keep up with him as the pair sped through the apparently never-ending building, the interior was gothic in style; large drapes hung with dark wooden furnishing placed at sporadic intervals. They continued for some time before Willow spoke up "um sorry but what are we doing?"

The man stopped mid stride, spinning on his heals towards her "we're searching" with this he turned back to the direction of travel yet he remained still.

"For what?" Willow groaned '_he is so annoying what's wrong with a straight answer '_

"A doorway." He started to walk briskly; ploughing onwards, ignoring seemingly everything that stood around him including multiple doorways.

"There's loads of doorways here what do you mean?" Willow pointed out.

He let out a low hiss "it's a special doorway." Before slowing the pace to a slow amble lifting his hat he scratched his head "it's the exit."

"Eh" Willow had started to get a headache; pinching the bridge of her nose, she tried to elevate the building pressure.

"Headache?" the man asked. Willow nodded even though she walked directly behind him. "hmm… must be all that thinking you're doing, makes a change, there's nothing in there usually." 'A_rsehole, how can he say that? He doesn't even know me.'_

"There's a lot going on in my head," Willow said indigently.

In response, the gye turned on her holding Willow's head in his hands; turning her head to appraise all aspects. The pair stood like this for some time. Willow felt her face flushing as she became extremely uncomfortable under the steely gaze; wrenching herself from his grasp she spat "What's you're condition?" even to herself the insult was poor.

Brazenly he ignored her comment "your heads normal but your minds tiny, there's nothing in it."

"What the hell" Willow was furious her head was now pounding "are you always such an arsehole or is it just when you're in good company?"

"What do you know then?" he retorted, goading Willow; his lips twitched as he saw the barely restrained fury play across her face. _'What the hell… this can't be real. I'm dreaming'_

"That none of this is real, for a start and that you're a pig of a man" on the last point Willow gave him a sharp shove on the chest, catching him unaware, he was forced to take a small step back; though her display of aggression didn't seem to faze him.

"It's as real as you are" to emphasise his point he knocked on a wall, "I wouldn't assume things that you clearly don't know." With this, he turned and started off again through the twisting labyrinth of corridors and closed doors. _'Of course he would say that if he's part of the dream'_

'_Should I follow him? He is a pig, but he does seem to know where he is going… I hope' _shouting Willow chased after the odd bloke "hey wait up" his pace slowed "um where are we exactly?"

"Um" he looked around "the swan lodge"

"Ok, but where is it?… as in where are we, I have never seen um twling or whatever before"

"Somewhere different to your world, where ever that may be um… it's strange that people don't give things like this names but then again it's not normal to leave."

Although cryptic Willow seemed to get the gist of what he was trying to say, "sooo basically this isn't my world."

He tilted his head the left "yep".

Things were starting to become as clear as muddy water in Willow's mind '_at least I know where I am. Kinda. Ok next question'_ "how do I get back?"

"How did you get here?"

"Down the cliff. '_I think'_ but these no way back up I've tried."_'kinda, ish.'_

"That sucks… There." He stopped midstride and slowly reached for a door latch. The door, as far as Willow could see was just like every other one that they had passed in the last hour.

He paused at the door pressing his ear to the wall next to the doorframe, pushing his index finger to his lips, effectively silencing Willow before she could question exactly what on earth he was doing. After a beat, he rested his fingerless gloved hand on the latch, pulling it upwards and allowing the door to swing open smoothly.

Willow followed the mystery man into the room, as she entered she was hit by a wave of sticky heat and bird song, the room was filled with all manner of flora in various colours and shapes. As they journeyed further into the room closing the door, the sweet scents of pollen became almost overpowering, '_what on earth is he doing now? It's very cool… well hot, in here but seriously what's going on?'_

Willow decided not to voice her questions, as they meandered thru the well-maintained borders of the glasshouse's collection. Willow loved botany and was enthralled by the many different genera of plants most which she herself had never seen. In her distraction, she piled strait into the broad back of her companion with a grunt she stumbled and fell flat on her back.

Looking up, her eyes rested upon a gnarled twisted magnolia its board long leaves almost glowed in the light. "Wow that's a gorgeous specimen but um… what are we doing here?"

"We are here, at the door" he spoke softly as if in reverence.

"Um what door?" as she spoke Willow watched as he plucked on of the magnolia leaves crushing it between his hands.

He raised it towards his nose and took a deep sniff. "To every door there is a key, not every key fits the lock but allows us to see and use said doorways."

"What's with the cryptic all the time can't you just answer me. There is no doorway here" Willow spoke the strain evident in her voice as she tried to keep her frustration at bay.

"Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there, the key here is to see."_ 'That's a bit hypocritical isn't it?' _ He rubbed his eyes "to see is to know, but to know things you have to see. Knowledge is the ability to know what to look for and the ability to understand what the eye can and cannot see"

At this Willow lost her temper falling into a rant "you're doing that on purpose aren't you, you have no idea what you're doing or where we are going do you. WELL DO YOU!" he did not bother to respond, instead he discarded his screwed up leaf and plucked another from the aged magnolia passing it to Willow. Calmly he walked towards the glassed wall and disappeared leaving Willow speechless.

_ 'He just went poof'_ Willow thought unbelieving but as she looked around the area, her new companion was nowhere to be seen. Willow scooted closer to where he disappeared once there she cautiously extended a shaking hand through the point of disappearance. _'Ok not entirely sure if not disappearing is a good or bad thing; as in do I want to be stuck here alone?' _ Shaking her head in answer to the internal monolog, she replayed what had happened. '_He said a load of crap then vanished…'_ she sat on the warm dirt underneath the magnolia '_there's more to it there has to be.'_

Willow sat staring off into space attempting to focus on the conversation they had previously to no avail, as she quibbled her hands were busily ripping and crushing the magnolia leaves. _'This is pointless I can't remember what he said. Oh goddess, what am I going to do? I just want to go home' _she held her head in her hands, reaching despair. Closing her eyes she took deep breaths; calming the surging emotions. When her feeling had subsided Willow raised her head. Feeling more centered she began retracing everything that she and the mystery man had done.

'_Ok we came in he was ahead and um I yelled… this is pointless.' _ She covered her eyes with her hands, once again breathing deeply _'ew, my hands stink of tree juice.'_ Quickly wiping her hands on her trousers Willow looked up.

'_What the…'_ a doorway had appeared by the wall where her annoying man had gone _'ok um…' _Willow moved forwards, standing in front of it, she raised her hands and gently ran them over the door frame. It had an air of eternal and buzzed under Willow's touch.

She pulled her hand back sharply, confused, shaking her hand she tried to get rid of the strange sensation. Her eyes travelled the newly revealed doorway as she absently continued to shake her hand. The door it's self was of a bulky disposition; heavy and rusted, Willow smiled at it as it reminded her of her village church; with more rust. In the center of the door was a blackened wheel .looking at the door Willow felt her self-shiver, something felt off, even if she couldn't quite place what. '_Suck it up Willowy that's the only way out of here…'_ taking a deep, shaky breath Willow mustered her meager courage and grabbed the wheel, gasping as the buzzing vibrations traveled through her hands up her arms.

Pushing the door to no avail _'oh I think that maybe, just maybe I'm resoundingly stupid' _she shook her head sighing. Cracking her kneck, she returned her hands to the wheel feeling instantly uncomfortable as the vibrations once again begin running through her arms. Starting to turn the valve anti-clockwise, she could feel the sensation creep further up her arms before enveloping her upper torso. With effort, she continued to undo the door until a soft click signaled the door had unlocked, by this time the buzzing had taken over her body, it made Willow feel as if her limbs had been replaced by jelly.

With a gentle shove the door swung open, revealing… nothing it was pitch black _'great I don't have a torch'_ rolling her eyes she took a step into the darkness.

Once she had passed through the doorway the door slammed shut, clanging loudly, plunging Willow into darkness


End file.
